Up And Coming, And Some Transfer Rumors.

Well, looking forward, our schedule looks something like this.
Arsenal V Liverpool
Arsenal V Liverpool
Liverpool V Arsenal
Hmmm... A bit repetitive... But, it doesn't stop me from getting excited! It should be a good few games, and I doubt we will see many dull moments. Prepare to see a rotated team, I predict that Ade, Nick and RvP will all play a part somehow, Theo will be a regular on the wing, Fab and Flam will be on fire, and Senderos, Toure and Gallas will all need to be on their sharpest. You can expect that everyone will be wanting to prove themselves, and I think most people will underestimate how much this last win will mean to the boys.
Just look at the sheer joy and relief on Fabregas' face. He, like the rest of the team, have worked SO HARD for this, and anyone who thinks that they will stop here has lost the plot. I see a major twist coming for this story of Barclay's English Premier League Season 2007/2008.

Now, a story recently caught my attention. It was along the lines of Manchester City getting ready for a major spending spree. I thought nothing more of it until this popped up. Lucas Podolski, a young, German striker, who has loads of potential, and is already world class, is apparently very frustrated with his lack of appearances for Bayern Munich, and is apparently looking abroad. He has apparently been linked to Man City. I was thinking, "If he is available, then why aren't we snapping him up?" Podolski is roughly valued at a transfer fee of 14M Pounds. And Finally, Rafa Benitez has apparently "Signed 2 young players, and one senior player, who will be a first team regular". Whoever that is, we will have to wait and find out. But if you think you know who, drop a comment! Or, if you want to discuss above points, do likewise.
Until next time Gunners, have a good one!!

Amazing Arsenal - Comeback keeps our hopes alive

Arsenal is back in second place, temporarily, after an amazing comeback, to use the words of Arsene Wenger. Abu Diaby was sent off in the middle of the first half, with Arsenal already one man down. They went in on the break trailing by two, and needed fantastic inspiration to comeback and win it.
The team had lined up as with some changes, one particularly surprising. Toure was pushed wide, with Senderos in the center. Bentner was up front with RvP, making a pretty good combination, albeit short lived, with Ade coming back for the L'pool trio. The one that caught me, and a few others by surprise was Diaby starting before Theo or Eboue. Theo was substituted on in the 60th minute, as was Ade. Eboue was an unused sub, alongside Lehmann.
But back to the game. With half an hour left to play, and Arsenal still trailing, we won a corner. Fabregas kick it in, bounces, msses everyone, then.. GALLAS!! A superb volley from an acute angle saw us move within a goal. 5 minutes later, we won a penalty, which RvP coolly slotted home. 2-2, with 25 minutes left. Arsenal were mounting pressure on, and in the dieing seconds, Hleb found Fabregas, who blasted it towards goal, then a defender rushed in...

And pushed the ball past his own keeper!!! 3-2 Arsenal!!
Words cannot describe the elation and relief I felt when opened my emails this morning, about to check the news. I found an email there from a friend, who was obviously watching the game live, and I could literally feel his excitement through the words. I checked the news and, yep, sure enough, we had won in the dieing moments. When most people were writing us off, we are now in with a chance. Winning all our remaining games, and Chelsea defeating Man Utd means Chelsea wins by 1, and we finish 3rd on goal difference. Any more or draws by either leaves us victorious. Its not ideal, but it's better than not being in the run at all.

Well, that's all from me, feel free to drop me a comment on your opinion of whether the other teams will lose more than one game. Till next time Gunners!

Fab - "I'm Sick Of The Stick"

Just a quick one. I have just found out I am not the only one who feels hard done by, by public and media alike. I went out for a trophy presentation afternoon today, and I decided to show my team alliance today, and I wore my Arsenal shirt. One of the fathers of one of the kids in my team walks by me, pauses and says, "Arsenal, Who are they", then before I could reply "I don't know why you support them, they suck, What have they won? The Spurs killed you!" He then walked off, leaving me struggling for words, and fuming again over the lack of trust and support of the team.
But, I am not the only one who feels the stick. Cesc has come out today and is quoted in the sun saying this:

“I feel every time we lose or we don’t play well it’s like everybody’s happy. I still don’t understand why everybody is against people who try to play nice football. We’ve been playing fantastic football. But it’s true people like to see us lose. That’s the way I feel.”

Cesc, I know exactly how you feel.
Well, that's the end of my rant. The pre-match review is below.
If you have a story of when you have been hard done by, why not share it? Let it all out by leaving a comment.
Till Next Time Gunners!!

Wenger Hints Its Time To Rest Ade

Finally, our coach has decided to rest the ineffective Ade. No offence to fans of the tall striker, but he has not been up to scratch. Bentner is the tipped replacement, which leaves one thing left to sort out.
Who will replace Sagna? The wonder-defender has left a lot to be filled, so fingers crossed that it will only be the three weeks. But there is 2 likely outcomes to the problem.
One, Toure is pushed wide, and Senderos comes in the middle with Gallas, Clichy covering the other wing, or Two, Eboue going back to his former position, and Theo getting a rare start. Of course, there is the option of moving Toure wide, Senderos in the middle AND Theo starting over Eboue, but I won't hold my breath!

Finally, in signing news, we are being linked to Miralem Pjanic (Pictured), a player for the Metz (a French Team). He comes from the same place as Ade and Pires did, and if they are any indication (Esp. Pires), then we might have a good new signing, if we choose to. But, that said, we have enough 17 yr old's coming through, and we need more established players. Hopefully, Ben Arfa could fill that, as we are still being liked to him.
Thats all for now, 'Till Next Post Gooners!

Sagna Sidelined

Hello. Sorry about the lack of posts recently. Hopefully that is set to improve.
Wenger announced today that, because of an ankle injury picked up on last weeks game, Sagna is out for "About 3 Weeks" which means we won't have him until mid-April, which is a worrying concept, considering the fact that Sagna has been holding us together recently.
Well, it is going to be a battle of desperation this week. Arsenal are fighting to keep our EPL Title hopes alive, while Bolton are fighting relegation. I am not going to predict a scoreline, so It's up to you to comment on.
Finally, (yes, I know, I have left it late...) It was the Arsenal FC Blog's B'Day YESTERDAY. I am sorry about the delay, but I hope you have many good years blogging ahead. Great Work Spanish Fry!!
And that is it.
'Till Next Time Gooners!

Nightmare Week For Bloggers...

Yep, it's that time again. A time of no news. Yep, It's Friendly Week...
A nightmare for bloggers 'cos there's nothing to post on! And a nightmare for fans, because the only thing these friendlies seem to create is injuries.
So, with nothing really to blog about, apart from the FALSE story about Gallas not having any friends, this is going to be short. All I can say about Gallas is that if he has no friends at Arsenal, why didn't he leave in the mid-season transfer window. Answer? Because it isn't true. End of story.
The only other thing that caught my eye is that, thank goodness, Theo survived all the squad cuts, which means he could well be playing tonight. Keep an eye out if your watching. Also look out for Clichy, Gallas and The Flamster, they will all be lining up against England. Add to that Hatem Ben Arfa - There is rumors he will be moving to Arsenal this Summer, though it will be winter in my case, being an Aussie.
Well, I apologise for all this lack of news, but its all there is at the moment. Don't forget to drop me a line, and let me know you opinion.
Till next time Gooners! (Pray that there will be more to write about!!)

What Is Happening?

Ever since that fateful Birmingham game, We have slid further and further down. I hate to remind everyone, but we slid from a 5 point lead, to a six point deficit in 3rd. I have heard it said, "if you were offered at the start of the season that you would finish 3rd in the league, one point behind Chelsea, You would take that." What is added in fine print, T+C's if you want, is that you will lose a great striker for 9 MONTHS, have your worst loss/draw streak in 9 YEARS and lose a 5 POINT LEAD from first, I can confidently say that people would rip the contract to shreds. I am going to raise the main excuses or complaints I have read, and I'll leave it up to you in the comments to discuss the most likely reason.
Argument 1) Eduardo's Horrific Injury Damaged Our Focus:
A good point. We are nine minutes into the game, and a late tackle snaps and dislocates his shin bone and ankle. The whole ground goes quiet. Everyone stops. Except of course the medics, who race out and prevent further injury. I mean, Come on, who wouldn't be distracted by that. Thousand and Thousands of support messages rained in, that's how much he meant to Arsenal. His creativity, energy and smart thinking was what was keeping us scoring, and since then, we have drawn and lost from there. We simply haven't been able to find another way to fluently score and defend.
Argument 2) Adebayor Was Lucky/Is No Longer Interested In Scoring:
The amount of time's I have seen this crop up makes it worth a mention. The theory states that Ade was simply in the right place at the right time, which is great if you can do it consistently, but it goes that he was there just luckily and just had to tap it home. The other part is that he has scored over 20 goals, and is now taking it for granted. He is losing focus and is straying offside and losing possession too easily. Because of this, he isn't scoring, and other players, even defenders have to invent new, complex ways of scoring.
Argument 3) Our Squad Is Too Small, And out Cheque Book Glued Shut:
This point speaks for itself. Arsene just isn't committed to bringing in experienced, established players. We long for a wonder signing like Torres, or a team full of stars like Chelsea, or Barca, or Real Madrid. What happens when one of Barca's stars gets injured? they send out another star! Lampard unavailable? "No Problems!" Say Chelsea, they simply bring on Ballack. Arsenal? What happens when, say, Fabregas hypothetically gets injured? We bring out, A) Some 16yr old than no one has ever heard of before, or B) we bring out some guy whos past his prime, Eg, Gilberto. He was BRILLIANT for Brazil for a few good years, but now, sadly, its time for him to move on (sorry!) Arsene's Response? All he fans scream for a Queresma or Ronaldinho, but we buy a 18 year old, who we loan out for a few seasons and leaves us 2 or 3 players short. Again.
Argument 4) The Refs On Our Games Are Biased Gits Or Bribed Blind:
This is the last point I have seen. For Example, In the last few games, Goals that should have been offside aren't, and Goals that aren't offside are disallowed. Unfortunately, we fit into the second category. Also, a player is on the floor, apparently injured. The opposition are weak at the back, taken off guard by the counter attack, yet we pass the ball over the touch line to receive treatment, when he's faking (Isn't there a rule out there for time wasting??). The opposition then kick the ball miles up field, out of play, which is good, but we have to defend heavily to stop them scoring. The player has clearly dived or is faking injury and the Ref completely ignores it. Priceless...
Anyway, that's all I can think of ATM. Drop me a line in the comments about what reason is the most likely. Or, Add another theory that I haven't thought of. Or Just call me a Paranoid Git. :) Whatever your reason, feel free to discuss!
'Till Later Gooners!!

Give Nick Another Go!

After yet another game without Ade scoring, our wonder scorer may have hit the wall. Don't get me wrong! I am not criticising him, but after 5 games without impact, i think he needs a break. He keeps straying offside, which wouldn't matter if he played for Chelsea, but he needs a game off to refocus and get refreshed for the L'pool trio we are facing.
If this happened, what other options would be have to pair with RvP?
Hleb
Hleb has done well up front as a supporting striker to Ade all season. With him feeding Eye-of-the-needle passes to RvP, we might have a good combo.
Theo
Theo is our work in progress, being mainly a winger. But his explosive pace and energy upfront could cause problems. But, i think he is better used at the moment as a ball feeder.
Nick Bentdner
Now, here is probably the best option to replace Ade. This tall boy is great at converting headers, and did a great job when RvP was out. Although he is slightly inexperienced, the best way to get him up to speed is to give him some match time. What I can now unveil is a new look plan for the weekend.
Theo is on the wing of the field, racing up and down, and occasionally cutting into the middle. He passes to Hled who is in a CF position, who holds the ball until RvP gets free. Rvp races forward, flips it up to Nick, who then turns and...............
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL!!!!!!!!!
Well, that's the theory. :)



Do you have any ideas?

Home Advantage Pays A Toll As Arsenal Slip

Not Even This could stop Chelsea from Winning

Yep, It's Stepladder-Terry!! I feel so sorry for that guy, he got used for a goal ramp last game, and Ade thought he'd try the same trick. But no, the goal instead came after the break from this guy.

Yes, that's right, Bakary Sagna scored his first ever goal in the prem,(and its a good one too!) but two goals 20 and 10 minutes from time by Didier Drogba killed off the game. There were a few chances for both sides in the first half, but at the end of the day, Chelsea were the better team.
So what does that mean for Arsenal's Title hopes? Well, Our second defeat of the year could prove quite costly. We are now 1 point behind Chelsea at 3rd, and 6 points behind ManUtd. It also means we have to win every game from here in, and we are relying on the results of the Mancs and Chavs.
In the other major game, Liverpool were crushed shortly after Macherano was sent off. 3-0 Was the final scoreline, but my initial reaction of the first goal was that it was a handball, you can make up your mind here
Let me know what you think about that goal, and of Arsenal's title hope's.
'Till next time Gooners, have a good one!

Possible Lineups

Hey!
Just a quick one before the game. I am just going to make a possible line up for both teams and a hypothetical HT/FT scoreline
Arsenal
Almunia
Sagna-Senderos-Gallas-Toure
Hleb-Flamini-Fabregas-Theo
Adebayor-RvP
Subs: Lehmann, Eboue, Gilberto, Clichy, Bentdner
Chelsea
Cudicini*
Ferrera, Alex, Terry, A.Cole
Ballack-Lampard-Mikel-J.Cole
Drogba-Anelka
(*If Cech is injured)

HT- 1-1 (Ade 20) (Anelka 43)
FT- 1-2 (Walcott 75)
Remembering of course that it is an away game, so our score is on the right.
Think thats fair? Tell Me your lineup, or scorers.
Come on, Lets Snap this streak!

Pre-Chelsea And A Review Of "Grand Slam Sunday"

Hello All!
Wenger revealed today that they are still talking to Flamini. Oh, Still talking about a new contract FOR Flamini, my mistake. Still, they are leaving it pretty late, so Wenger might be facing his leaving the team.
Right, now onto the review.

Manchester Utd Vs Liverpool
Everton play struggling West Ham tonight, and if they win, it means they draw level with L'Pool, all be it with L'Pool having a day later game. However, it means that there will be pressure on L'Pool to win, if they want a CL spot secured. I feel that Liverpool will avoid a loss. With Gerrard and Torres On fire, it means that Rafa's plan to keep him ready for the end of the season worked, though the obvious downside being that they have to fight for 4th. Also, Man Utd are missing Van Der Sar, and possibly also Ferdinand, meaning that they will be vulnerable at the back. Although, that being said, L'Pool will need to be on their sharpest to keep Wonder boy Ronaldo at bay. With all this information in mind, I'm tipping 2-2, with Ronaldo saving the day.
Chelsea Vs ARSENAL
Now, the one we have all been waiting for, possibly one of the deciding matches of the season. We all know that unfortunately we have been in a slump of late, but we have the belief, potential and the players to pull out of it. IMHO we always do better on big matches (Eg, AC Milan) and I think we can pull this one off. While Chelsea have been undefeated for 78 games at home, we were the last team to beat them at the Bridge. Anelka was a good signing for the blues and seems to be settling in for "the long term", which, for Anelka is about half a season. Also, Didier Drogba has come out and said that he is ready for the challenge. He has also been quoted as saying that Arsenal "are a wonderful team with the ball". Well, whatever he says, its going to be a tough one. My Team prediction for arsenal is as follows: Ade and RvP up front, Hleb and Walcott on the wing with Flam and Fab in the middle, then Sagna Gallas Senderos and Toure up back with Almunia in goals. I am going for 2-1, with Ade and Walcott scoring.
On a final note, could you please take some time on the striker survey? at the moment after 3 votes, its looking rigged.. hmmm.....
Anyway, Have a nice day Gooners, and keep the faith!

Tell me what you think by leaving a comment.

Good News For Victims of Bad Tackles?

I was just reading that the president of FIFA has finally come to his senses. He is thinking about making new rules that punish sloppy and dangerous tackles. But one must ask why the decision comes now after yet another career threatening tackle (Eduardo, anyone?). I feel that the current ban isn't harsh enough, but don't support the idea of a life ban. However, I do like the compromise they have come up with. Take it away Sepp!

We are considering several options, one being that if a player is injured for nine months, then that player who caused the injury should also be out for nine months.

Interesting... Other than that, nothing new I have seen. Just that Grant is vowing to keep fighting to the death, and Fergie praises Ronaldo.. but that last point isn't really of interest to anyone, is it?
Anyway, enjoy your Easter Gooners!

Oh, and Don't forget to tell me what you think by leaving a comment!

A New Begining

Hello All!
Well, after reading and posting comments in other blogs for ages, (a whole 2 months...) I decided to start a new Arsenal blog of my own. I thought from the reaction I was getting, "Hey, maybe I could do this myself!" Well, here it is.
Theo Walcott has finally earned a call up to the England squad. I think this is great news, considering the form he has been in lately. Whether he actually plays is another matter. Also, where will he play? Up front with Rooney? On the wing with Joe Cole? Or as a sub for either? Only Capello knows, and we have to wait for his decision.
Man United once again relied on C.Ronaldo, beating Bolton 2-0. Chelsea Drew with the Spurs, Leaving their title hopes resting on the defeat on us and Man U. I would like to Thank the Spurs for doing us a favour in this way, and we'll be back to beat you next season. Thankyou.
Well, thats probably all for my first post. And with our fingers crossed that we will be given another day that R.van Persie will be spared from injury, 'till next time Fellow gooners!